Title.
From THE QUEST FOR THE MYSTERIOUS COCONUT PEARL by Haile
[On Coconut Pearls]
On my last voyage to the East Indies for purposes of study, I resolved to endeavour to find out something further about the cocos-pearl and if possible to solve the problem of its formation . . . The normal germination process of the coco-nut begins by an enlargement of the embryo, whereby the cotyledon commences to grow inwards to an absorbing organ (haustorium), and thereby comes to protrude outside the endosperm and into the central cavity. Simultaneously with this, the plumule grow out and, breaking through the membranous operculum of the germinating pore, it pushes its way out through the hard shell . . . Given that the germination, being in progress, is stopped by some cause or other, thus preventing the further development of the haustorium it is conceivable that the haustorium in this state might become encrusted by the influence of the coco-nut milk, and that from this the completely petrified cocos-pearl would gradually be formed . . . a coconut without geminating pores is a very great rarity, for which reason they are regarded by the Mohammedans as sacred. The 'klapa boeta' is a talisman (tjimat) par excellence . . . I finally succeeded in collecting eight unopened 'blind' coco-nuts from the East Indian Archipelago . . . The first 'boetas' which I opened produced nothing, but in the fifth I found a really beautiful pearl still attached to the kernel . . . The pearl was attached with the least trace of a stalk, being merely embedded in the endosperm and was quite easy to remove from the kernel. It lay exactly at the base of the nut, just under the spot where the germinating pores ought to have been . . . This discovery, in my opinion, warrants the inference that the cocos-pearl actually represents a calcified haustorium, which has been retained in the nut after the primary germination was checked, owing to the plumule not being able to get through the shell . . . although it still remains unexplained why the cocos-pearl consists almost entirely of calcium carbonate, while neither the cocos-kernel nor the coco-milk contains this carbonate.
In 1887 coconut pearls earned their first mention in Nature, in a letter from S.J. Hickson describing two such pearls he obtained in North Celebes after a particular search there. J.G.F. Riedel, formerly the Dutch Resident officer, at Menado [Sulawesi, Indonesia], in another letter to Nature in 1887 mentioned that he possessed fourteen coconut pearls, one of which he found himself in 1866 at Holontalo, North Celebes 'in the endosperm of the seed of the cocoanut.'
From THE MAGIC OF JEWELS AND CHARMS by George Frederick Kunz
The fabled gem-bearing dragons of India were said to have sometimes fallen victims to the enchanter's art . . .Within the head were found gems of brilliant hue, some of these possessing the power of rendering the wearer invisible.
Persian records tell of a "royal stone" found in the head of the ouren bad, a kind of eagle; this preserved the wearer from the attacks of venomous reptiles.
The mesticas of the Malays represent a class of stones differing in important respects from the various types of bezoars. A principle distinction is that the mesticas are not supposed to owe their origin to pathological conditions in the organism wherein they occur, but rather to a super-abundance of the normal and healthy constituents of the animal or plant. It is probably due to this that the virtues of these particular concretions are rather talismanic than therapeutic, and that they are believed to endow the finder, or one who who receives them by gift, with courage, immunity from injury, and also with cunning and shrewdness in the affairs of life. Especialy by warriors are these stones highly valued, for they are supposed to protect the wearer from wounds; indeed, this belief sometimes went so far to lead the Malays to think that absolute invulnerability was conferred on one who carried several of them bound so closely to the skin . . .
To many stones was attributed the power of transmitting a certain remedial virtue to water or other liquid in which they are immersed . . .
. . . legend sought to account for the peculiar qualities of the bezoar by the tale that the animals in whose bodies the stones were formed had been bitten by serpents.
The toad-stone was not only an antidote for poisons, but was also thought to give warning of their presence by becoming very hot. To fully profit by this strange quality, the wearer of such a stone was advised to have it so set in a ring that it would touch the skin; in this way he would be sure to have timely notice, if any poisoned food or drink were offered to him.
The crab furnished the stone called the crab's-eye, because in form it resembled an eye . . .
The lapis carpionis or carp-stone, a triangular mass, was taken from the jaws of the carp. It was smaller or larger according to the size of the fish . . .
The chelonia is said by Pliny to have been the eye of the Indian tortoise. The magicians asserted that this was the most marvellous of all "stones"; for if bathed in honey and then placed in the mouth, when the moon was either full or new, it conferred the power of divination, and this power lasted for one entire day.
As a companion piece to the 'cock-stone," the hen firnished a concretion possessing special virtues . . . it favored procreation and also nullified the effects of the Evil Eye, and it kept children from having bad dreams if placed beneath their heads when they were sleeping.
The Indians and Spaniards in South America made remedial use of a stone said to be obtained from the cayman or alligator . . . This was employed as a cure for various intermittent fevers.
Even the spider was supposed to produce a stone having remedial power, especially that variety called by the Germans Kreuzspinne ("cross-spider").
The "fretful porcupine" also contributed its stone . . . and was considered to be even superior to the bezoar as an antidote against poison.
The livers of certain animals provided concretions called haraczi by the Arabs; these were much used as remedies for epilepsy.
Besides this use as a remedy or antidote, the bezoar was credited with the powers of an elixir of life, for some of the Hindus employed it as a preservative of youth and vigor.
A peculiar bezoar is reported from Indrapura, India. This was said to have been found in the skull of a rhinoceros, and was of light weight and of a black hue, varying to pale red when held against the light; it was hard enough to cut glass.
. . . there is reason to believe that such animal concretions were used by these Indians in magic practices. The Quicha name is illa, and Holquin in his Quicha dictionary says that the natives believed that bezoars were luck-bringing stones.
The bezoars of Borneo are taken either from monkeys or porcupines.
The serpent-stone, called by Pliny ovum anguinum, or "serpent's eggs," is said to have been worn by the Druid priests as a badge of distinction. Pliny relates that he had seen one of them which was as large as a moderate-sized apple, its shell being a cartilaginous substance. It was supposed to be generated in midsummer out of the saliva and slime exuding from a knot of intertwined serpents. When the moisture had coagulated and formed into a sphere, this was tossed in the air by the hissing snakes . . .
The legendary serpent-stone is usually one taken from the reptile's head, but Welsh tradition tells of one extracted from the tail of a serpent by the hero Peredur...
The so-called "snake-stones," many specimens of which have been found in British barrows, bear in the Scottish Lowlands the designation "Adder Stones." They are also sometimes called adder-beads or serpent-stones.
Tabasheer is a variety of opal that is found in the joints of certain species of bamboo . . . it is originally a juice, which by evaporation changes into a mucilaginous state, then becomes a solid substance. It ranges from translucent to opaque in color, and is either white or bluish-white by reflected light, and pale yellow or slight sherry red by transmitted light.
Serpent-stones were supposed to exist in both ancient and medieval times, and the belief in their existence is widespread among many races of mankind.
[On Thunder-Stones or "Gigi-Gledek"]
The stone implements of various forms found in the shell-heaps of Brazil are called by the natives Curiscos or "lightning-stones." The Guaranis name them "stars fallen from heaven"; the Cajuas, "stones hurled by the thunder"; and the Coarados, "axe-stones." A high price is paid for these by the gold-seekers in Brazil, who believe that, by attraction, they show the presence of gold beneath the surface, just as the divining-rod is supposed to be affected by the presence of water or by hidden treasures.
. . . In Malacca they are called batu gontur, "lightning-stones," and in Sumatra we have the name anak-pitas, "child of the lightning." In the island of Nias, near Sumatra, they are worn as amulets on the head or attached to the sword.
From ACOSTA ON THE BEZOAR STONE--A note to Pseudodoxia Epidemica, Book III, chapter 23
From Historia natural y moral de las Indias, Lib. 4, Chap. 42 (in the 1604 London edition, translated by E[dward] G[rimston], The Naturall and Morall Historie of The East and West Indies, pp. 323-326).
Of the Bezaars stone. Chap. 42.
The Bezaars stone is found in all these beasts before mentioned [i.e., "Vicugnes and Tarugnes" (chap. 40) and "Pacos, Guanacos, and Indian Muttons" (chap. 41)], which are proper to Peru, whereof some Authors of our time have written whole bookes, which they may reade that desire to have a more particular knowledge. For the present subject it shall be sufficient to say, that this stone which they call Bezaar, is found in the stomacke and belly of this beast, somtimes one alone, sometimes two, three, and foure. They are very different in forme, greatnesse and colour, for that some are small like filberds, & lesse; others like walnuts; some like pigeons egges, and others as bigge as a hens egge: and I have seene some as bigge as an orange; in forme some are round, others in fashion like to lentils, and many other formes. For their colour, som are black, some white, some grey, darke greene, and others, as if they had beene guilded. It is no certaine rule to judge the best and most fine by the colour or forme. All these stones are made and fashioned of divers films and skins one upon another. In the province of Xaura and other provinces of Peru, they find these stones in divers kinds of beasts, both wild and tame, as in the Guanacos, Pacos, Vicugnes, and Tarugues, some adde an other kind, which they say are wilde goates, which the Indians call Cypris. These other kindes of beastes are very well knowen in Peru, whereof wee have alerady discoursed. The Guanacos or country sheepe, or Pacos, have commonly the lesser stones, and blacke, neither are they so much approoved for the use of Physicke. They draw the greatest Bezaar stones from the Vicugnes, and they are grey, or white, or of a darke greene, which are helde for the better. They esteeme those of the Tarugues for the most excellent, whereof there are some reasonable bigge: they are commonly white, inclining to grey; and they have the filmes commonly bigger and thicker than the rest.
They finde the Bezaar stone equally in both male and female. All beasts that ingender it, chaw the cuid, and commonly feede upon the snow and rockes. The Indians reporte & teach by tradition from their fathers and Antients, that in the Province of Xaura, and in other provinces of Peru, there are many herbs and venomous beasts, which poison the water and the pastures where they eate and drinke, and where they breathe: amiddest which venomous hearbs there is one very well knowne of the Vicugne, by a naturall instinct, and of other beasts that ingender the Bezaar stone, which eate this hearb, and by meanes thereof they preserve themselves from the poisoned waters and pastures: and they say, that of this hearb the stone is compounde in the stomacke, whence it drawes all the vertue against poyson and other wonderfull effects. This is the opinion & tradition of the Indians, discovered by men of great experience in the kingdome of Peru, which agrees with reason, and with that which Plinie reports1 of the mountaine goates, which are nourished and fed upon poison without suffering any harme. The Indians being demaunded, why the sheepe, kine, goates, and calves, such as are in Castille, have not the Bezaar stone, seeing that they feede on the same rockes: their answer is, That they beleeve not, that those beasts of Castille eate of that hearbe, or that they have found the Bezaar stone in stags and falow diere. This seemes to agree with our knowledge, for that in new Spaine they find the Bezaar stone, although there be no Vicugnes, Pacos, Tarugues, nor Guanacos, but only stags, in some of which they finde these stones.
The principall vertue of the Bezaar stone is against poison and venomous diseases, although there bee heerein divers opinions, some hold it for a mockerie, others for a miracle. Howsoever it be, it is most certaine that it is of a great operation, when it is applied in time, & convenient in a maner, as hearbes, and to persons capable and disposed: for there is no medicine that doth alwaies cure infallibly. In Spaine and Italie, we have seene admirable effects of this stone, against the Taverdette, which is a kind of plague, but not so much as in Peru. They do apply it beaten and put into some liquor, which may make it fit for the cure of melancholy, the falling sickenes, pestilent feavers, & many other diseases. Some take it in wine, others in vineger, with water Dezahac, of Leangue de beufe, borrage and other sortes, as the Phisitians and Apoticaries can tell. The Bezaar stone hath no proper savour, as Rasis the Arabian doth testifie. Wee have seene notable trialls, and there is no doubt but the Author of this universall world, hath given great vertues to this stone. The Bezaar stones which comes from the East Indies, have the first place of account, they are of an olive colour, the second are those of Peru, and the third those of New Spaine. Since that these stones were in request, they say, the Indians have made artificall ones; and many when they see these stones greater then the orddinarie, they take them to be false and counterfait: triall and experience is the best mistres to know them. One thing is worthy admiration, that they grow and are fashioned upon very strange things, as upon the tagge of a point, upon a pinne, or a peece of wood, which they finde in the centre of this stone, and yet do they not hold it false, for that the beast might swallow it, and the stone thicken upon it, and growes one upon another, and so it increaseth. I did see in Peru, two stones fashioned upon Pignons of Castille, which made us to wonder much, for that in all Peru, we had not seene any pines or Pignons of Castille, if they were not brought from Spaine, which seemes to me very extraordinary. This little may suffice touching the Bezaars stone. They bring other phisicall stones from the Indies, as the stone of Hyiada, or of Rate, the bloud stone, the stones of milke, and of the sea. Those which they call Cornerinal, for the heart, whereof there is no neede to speake, having nothing common with the subject of beastes, whereof we have intreated: which gives us to understand how the great Master and Author of all, hath imparted his benefites and wonderfull secrets, to all partes of the world; for the which he is to be glorified for ever.
[On Coconut Pearls]
On my last voyage to the East Indies for purposes of study, I resolved to endeavour to find out something further about the cocos-pearl and if possible to solve the problem of its formation . . . The normal germination process of the coco-nut begins by an enlargement of the embryo, whereby the cotyledon commences to grow inwards to an absorbing organ (haustorium), and thereby comes to protrude outside the endosperm and into the central cavity. Simultaneously with this, the plumule grow out and, breaking through the membranous operculum of the germinating pore, it pushes its way out through the hard shell . . . Given that the germination, being in progress, is stopped by some cause or other, thus preventing the further development of the haustorium it is conceivable that the haustorium in this state might become encrusted by the influence of the coco-nut milk, and that from this the completely petrified cocos-pearl would gradually be formed . . . a coconut without geminating pores is a very great rarity, for which reason they are regarded by the Mohammedans as sacred. The 'klapa boeta' is a talisman (tjimat) par excellence . . . I finally succeeded in collecting eight unopened 'blind' coco-nuts from the East Indian Archipelago . . . The first 'boetas' which I opened produced nothing, but in the fifth I found a really beautiful pearl still attached to the kernel . . . The pearl was attached with the least trace of a stalk, being merely embedded in the endosperm and was quite easy to remove from the kernel. It lay exactly at the base of the nut, just under the spot where the germinating pores ought to have been . . . This discovery, in my opinion, warrants the inference that the cocos-pearl actually represents a calcified haustorium, which has been retained in the nut after the primary germination was checked, owing to the plumule not being able to get through the shell . . . although it still remains unexplained why the cocos-pearl consists almost entirely of calcium carbonate, while neither the cocos-kernel nor the coco-milk contains this carbonate.
In 1887 coconut pearls earned their first mention in Nature, in a letter from S.J. Hickson describing two such pearls he obtained in North Celebes after a particular search there. J.G.F. Riedel, formerly the Dutch Resident officer, at Menado [Sulawesi, Indonesia], in another letter to Nature in 1887 mentioned that he possessed fourteen coconut pearls, one of which he found himself in 1866 at Holontalo, North Celebes 'in the endosperm of the seed of the cocoanut.'
From THE MAGIC OF JEWELS AND CHARMS by George Frederick Kunz
The fabled gem-bearing dragons of India were said to have sometimes fallen victims to the enchanter's art . . .Within the head were found gems of brilliant hue, some of these possessing the power of rendering the wearer invisible.
Persian records tell of a "royal stone" found in the head of the ouren bad, a kind of eagle; this preserved the wearer from the attacks of venomous reptiles.
The mesticas of the Malays represent a class of stones differing in important respects from the various types of bezoars. A principle distinction is that the mesticas are not supposed to owe their origin to pathological conditions in the organism wherein they occur, but rather to a super-abundance of the normal and healthy constituents of the animal or plant. It is probably due to this that the virtues of these particular concretions are rather talismanic than therapeutic, and that they are believed to endow the finder, or one who who receives them by gift, with courage, immunity from injury, and also with cunning and shrewdness in the affairs of life. Especialy by warriors are these stones highly valued, for they are supposed to protect the wearer from wounds; indeed, this belief sometimes went so far to lead the Malays to think that absolute invulnerability was conferred on one who carried several of them bound so closely to the skin . . .
To many stones was attributed the power of transmitting a certain remedial virtue to water or other liquid in which they are immersed . . .
. . . legend sought to account for the peculiar qualities of the bezoar by the tale that the animals in whose bodies the stones were formed had been bitten by serpents.
The toad-stone was not only an antidote for poisons, but was also thought to give warning of their presence by becoming very hot. To fully profit by this strange quality, the wearer of such a stone was advised to have it so set in a ring that it would touch the skin; in this way he would be sure to have timely notice, if any poisoned food or drink were offered to him.
The crab furnished the stone called the crab's-eye, because in form it resembled an eye . . .
The lapis carpionis or carp-stone, a triangular mass, was taken from the jaws of the carp. It was smaller or larger according to the size of the fish . . .
The chelonia is said by Pliny to have been the eye of the Indian tortoise. The magicians asserted that this was the most marvellous of all "stones"; for if bathed in honey and then placed in the mouth, when the moon was either full or new, it conferred the power of divination, and this power lasted for one entire day.
As a companion piece to the 'cock-stone," the hen firnished a concretion possessing special virtues . . . it favored procreation and also nullified the effects of the Evil Eye, and it kept children from having bad dreams if placed beneath their heads when they were sleeping.
The Indians and Spaniards in South America made remedial use of a stone said to be obtained from the cayman or alligator . . . This was employed as a cure for various intermittent fevers.
Even the spider was supposed to produce a stone having remedial power, especially that variety called by the Germans Kreuzspinne ("cross-spider").
The "fretful porcupine" also contributed its stone . . . and was considered to be even superior to the bezoar as an antidote against poison.
The livers of certain animals provided concretions called haraczi by the Arabs; these were much used as remedies for epilepsy.
Besides this use as a remedy or antidote, the bezoar was credited with the powers of an elixir of life, for some of the Hindus employed it as a preservative of youth and vigor.
A peculiar bezoar is reported from Indrapura, India. This was said to have been found in the skull of a rhinoceros, and was of light weight and of a black hue, varying to pale red when held against the light; it was hard enough to cut glass.
. . . there is reason to believe that such animal concretions were used by these Indians in magic practices. The Quicha name is illa, and Holquin in his Quicha dictionary says that the natives believed that bezoars were luck-bringing stones.
The bezoars of Borneo are taken either from monkeys or porcupines.
The serpent-stone, called by Pliny ovum anguinum, or "serpent's eggs," is said to have been worn by the Druid priests as a badge of distinction. Pliny relates that he had seen one of them which was as large as a moderate-sized apple, its shell being a cartilaginous substance. It was supposed to be generated in midsummer out of the saliva and slime exuding from a knot of intertwined serpents. When the moisture had coagulated and formed into a sphere, this was tossed in the air by the hissing snakes . . .
The legendary serpent-stone is usually one taken from the reptile's head, but Welsh tradition tells of one extracted from the tail of a serpent by the hero Peredur...
The so-called "snake-stones," many specimens of which have been found in British barrows, bear in the Scottish Lowlands the designation "Adder Stones." They are also sometimes called adder-beads or serpent-stones.
Tabasheer is a variety of opal that is found in the joints of certain species of bamboo . . . it is originally a juice, which by evaporation changes into a mucilaginous state, then becomes a solid substance. It ranges from translucent to opaque in color, and is either white or bluish-white by reflected light, and pale yellow or slight sherry red by transmitted light.
Serpent-stones were supposed to exist in both ancient and medieval times, and the belief in their existence is widespread among many races of mankind.
[On Thunder-Stones or "Gigi-Gledek"]
The stone implements of various forms found in the shell-heaps of Brazil are called by the natives Curiscos or "lightning-stones." The Guaranis name them "stars fallen from heaven"; the Cajuas, "stones hurled by the thunder"; and the Coarados, "axe-stones." A high price is paid for these by the gold-seekers in Brazil, who believe that, by attraction, they show the presence of gold beneath the surface, just as the divining-rod is supposed to be affected by the presence of water or by hidden treasures.
. . . In Malacca they are called batu gontur, "lightning-stones," and in Sumatra we have the name anak-pitas, "child of the lightning." In the island of Nias, near Sumatra, they are worn as amulets on the head or attached to the sword.
From ACOSTA ON THE BEZOAR STONE--A note to Pseudodoxia Epidemica, Book III, chapter 23
From Historia natural y moral de las Indias, Lib. 4, Chap. 42 (in the 1604 London edition, translated by E[dward] G[rimston], The Naturall and Morall Historie of The East and West Indies, pp. 323-326).
Of the Bezaars stone. Chap. 42.
The Bezaars stone is found in all these beasts before mentioned [i.e., "Vicugnes and Tarugnes" (chap. 40) and "Pacos, Guanacos, and Indian Muttons" (chap. 41)], which are proper to Peru, whereof some Authors of our time have written whole bookes, which they may reade that desire to have a more particular knowledge. For the present subject it shall be sufficient to say, that this stone which they call Bezaar, is found in the stomacke and belly of this beast, somtimes one alone, sometimes two, three, and foure. They are very different in forme, greatnesse and colour, for that some are small like filberds, & lesse; others like walnuts; some like pigeons egges, and others as bigge as a hens egge: and I have seene some as bigge as an orange; in forme some are round, others in fashion like to lentils, and many other formes. For their colour, som are black, some white, some grey, darke greene, and others, as if they had beene guilded. It is no certaine rule to judge the best and most fine by the colour or forme. All these stones are made and fashioned of divers films and skins one upon another. In the province of Xaura and other provinces of Peru, they find these stones in divers kinds of beasts, both wild and tame, as in the Guanacos, Pacos, Vicugnes, and Tarugues, some adde an other kind, which they say are wilde goates, which the Indians call Cypris. These other kindes of beastes are very well knowen in Peru, whereof wee have alerady discoursed. The Guanacos or country sheepe, or Pacos, have commonly the lesser stones, and blacke, neither are they so much approoved for the use of Physicke. They draw the greatest Bezaar stones from the Vicugnes, and they are grey, or white, or of a darke greene, which are helde for the better. They esteeme those of the Tarugues for the most excellent, whereof there are some reasonable bigge: they are commonly white, inclining to grey; and they have the filmes commonly bigger and thicker than the rest.
They finde the Bezaar stone equally in both male and female. All beasts that ingender it, chaw the cuid, and commonly feede upon the snow and rockes. The Indians reporte & teach by tradition from their fathers and Antients, that in the Province of Xaura, and in other provinces of Peru, there are many herbs and venomous beasts, which poison the water and the pastures where they eate and drinke, and where they breathe: amiddest which venomous hearbs there is one very well knowne of the Vicugne, by a naturall instinct, and of other beasts that ingender the Bezaar stone, which eate this hearb, and by meanes thereof they preserve themselves from the poisoned waters and pastures: and they say, that of this hearb the stone is compounde in the stomacke, whence it drawes all the vertue against poyson and other wonderfull effects. This is the opinion & tradition of the Indians, discovered by men of great experience in the kingdome of Peru, which agrees with reason, and with that which Plinie reports1 of the mountaine goates, which are nourished and fed upon poison without suffering any harme. The Indians being demaunded, why the sheepe, kine, goates, and calves, such as are in Castille, have not the Bezaar stone, seeing that they feede on the same rockes: their answer is, That they beleeve not, that those beasts of Castille eate of that hearbe, or that they have found the Bezaar stone in stags and falow diere. This seemes to agree with our knowledge, for that in new Spaine they find the Bezaar stone, although there be no Vicugnes, Pacos, Tarugues, nor Guanacos, but only stags, in some of which they finde these stones.
The principall vertue of the Bezaar stone is against poison and venomous diseases, although there bee heerein divers opinions, some hold it for a mockerie, others for a miracle. Howsoever it be, it is most certaine that it is of a great operation, when it is applied in time, & convenient in a maner, as hearbes, and to persons capable and disposed: for there is no medicine that doth alwaies cure infallibly. In Spaine and Italie, we have seene admirable effects of this stone, against the Taverdette, which is a kind of plague, but not so much as in Peru. They do apply it beaten and put into some liquor, which may make it fit for the cure of melancholy, the falling sickenes, pestilent feavers, & many other diseases. Some take it in wine, others in vineger, with water Dezahac, of Leangue de beufe, borrage and other sortes, as the Phisitians and Apoticaries can tell. The Bezaar stone hath no proper savour, as Rasis the Arabian doth testifie. Wee have seene notable trialls, and there is no doubt but the Author of this universall world, hath given great vertues to this stone. The Bezaar stones which comes from the East Indies, have the first place of account, they are of an olive colour, the second are those of Peru, and the third those of New Spaine. Since that these stones were in request, they say, the Indians have made artificall ones; and many when they see these stones greater then the orddinarie, they take them to be false and counterfait: triall and experience is the best mistres to know them. One thing is worthy admiration, that they grow and are fashioned upon very strange things, as upon the tagge of a point, upon a pinne, or a peece of wood, which they finde in the centre of this stone, and yet do they not hold it false, for that the beast might swallow it, and the stone thicken upon it, and growes one upon another, and so it increaseth. I did see in Peru, two stones fashioned upon Pignons of Castille, which made us to wonder much, for that in all Peru, we had not seene any pines or Pignons of Castille, if they were not brought from Spaine, which seemes to me very extraordinary. This little may suffice touching the Bezaars stone. They bring other phisicall stones from the Indies, as the stone of Hyiada, or of Rate, the bloud stone, the stones of milke, and of the sea. Those which they call Cornerinal, for the heart, whereof there is no neede to speake, having nothing common with the subject of beastes, whereof we have intreated: which gives us to understand how the great Master and Author of all, hath imparted his benefites and wonderfull secrets, to all partes of the world; for the which he is to be glorified for ever.
